“Inherit the Earth”

(A Message to the Members of the Body of Christ)

(Preached Wednesday Evening, August 12, 2020)

Introduction

Brothers and sisters: Christians: members of the Body of Christ and those joining us within as friends, for whom we are praying: we have taken the name for this ministry which we believe God wanted us to take. A name for this time, a name for this hour, a name for this moment in history: The S.A.L.T. (The Savior’s Ambassadors Laboring Together). A name to take us through these “beginning of sorrows” (which our Lord predicted) and into the time to come, as the church of the Lord Jesus, here in the Western world, goes gradually underground.

Yes, increasingly, by the grace of God, whether we want to or not; we are going underground. Yes, as has already been done in other lands, and as so often has occurred throughout the history of our people, the history of the saved through the Savior of the World, the washed in the blood of the Lamb, the suffering now that we might reign forever with our Lord – who suffered so very much for us all. We are poised to be awakened, reformed, and reshaped back into what we were meant to be. Back into what worked! Back into what caused our enemies to at last cry out, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.” (Acts 17:6)

What do we want? We want not a dime of your money. We work, and like Paul, our brother, the Apostle, we are able to say that

“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.” (Acts 20:33-34)

If you were to send your tithe to us, we would send it back (tax deductible), for you to use in a plan mapped together, with you as the prayerful lead, to accomplish what the Lord has laid upon you to do, in order to reach your world for Christ.

We are free in Christ Jesus. We have no building to pay for, no minister to house or feed, no busy programs to support. We have only what we wholeheartedly offer to share with you. We have Christ! We have his Word! We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have faith in Christ, hope in his promises, and the love of God, but the greatest of these is Love. “God is love!” (1 John 4:8) “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Believe in him. Receive from him. But when you do, or if you already have… receive it all! Yea, for we have two more wonderful things that he gave that we wish to share with you.

He gave the mission; our life’s purpose:

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

He gave the ability to get the job done; our life’s power:

“And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” (Act 1:7-9)

(Yes, he is coming again. Are you ready? Are you?)

And so, what… of… tonight? Tonight. Tonight, we continue. We continue to apprehend what must be understood as the constitution of the Kingdom of God, our Lord’s “Sermon on the Mount.” We now continue where we left off, last time. Yes, tonight and forever… “the meek … shall inherit the Earth!” Tonight we speak of

The biblically meek shall inherit the Earth, but who are they?
The historically meek shall inherit the Earth, but who are they?
The eternally meek shall inherit the Earth, but who are they?

Please turn in your Bibles to

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

(Matthew 5:5)

I. The Biblically “Meek … Shall Inherit the Earth!”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Who are the biblically meek? The biblically thankful!

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)

Who are the biblically meek? The biblically humble!

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)

Who are the biblically meek? The biblically suffering!

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:32‭-‬40)

Who are the biblically meek? The biblically christian!

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

II. The Historically “Meek … Shall Inherit the Earth!”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Who are the historically meek? The historical missionaries!

“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2)

Voice of the Martyrs – see the founder page on their website.
The Salvation Army – see the history page on their website.
The 1st & 2nd Great Awakening – see the page at History.com.
The Moravians – see Moravian Slaves & Moravian.org
The Anabaptists – see the movie; read the book.
Franciscan Monks – read the book: ”God’s Fool”.

Who are the historically meek? The historical martyrs!

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Matthew 24:9)

“(Of whom the world was not worthy.)” (Hebrews 11:38a)

”Tortured for Christ” – read the book; see the movie.
“Foxes Book of Martyrs” – read the book.
“Death of the Apostles” – see the video; watch the movie.

Who are the historically meek? The historical man!

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:3)

III. The Eternally “Meek … Shall Inherit the Earth!”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Who are the eternally meek? The eternally righteous!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.” (Proverbs 11:30-31)

Who are the eternally meek? The eternally resting!

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:2-3)

Who are the eternally meek? The eternally rejoicing!

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” (Revelation 12:11-12)

Who are the eternally meek? The eternally reigning!

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4)

Who are the eternally meek? The eternally rewarded!

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:6-12)

Conclusion

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

OUTLINE:

“Inherit the Earth”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

The Biblically “Meek … Shall Inherit the Earth!”

The Historically “Meek … Shall Inherit the Earth!”

The Eternally “Meek … Shall Inherit the Earth!”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

WORSHIP:

Mahalia Jackson singing & Martin Luther King Jr preaching at Church

I Sing the Mighty Power of God (241)

Opening:

Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone? (486)